Eggplant Lasagna Tart with Parmesan-Basil Crust

There seemed to be a perfect storm of savory Italian tart recipes that landed in my inbox within the last month. I first saw a Zucchini Lasagna Tart and then a Fresh Tomato Tart not too long after. I saved both and kept looking at them again and again. I will be the first to admit that I have a problem when it comes to recipes. I save what seems to be countless recipes on my computer between my email inbox, Google Reader and bookmarks. Then there is the binder of recipes that have been clipped out of magazines and old ones of my mom’s and grandma’s that I want to try. And don’t even get me started on the 30+ cookbooks I own that don’t get near the attention they deserve. With all of these recipe repositories, it’s truly something special when I run across a recipe that sticks like glue in my head; when I find myself thinking about it over and over, plotting when the first chance might be to make it. It happened most recently with the Cream Cheese Cinnamon Rolls and Better-than-Brownies Chocolate Cookies I made, and it happened with these tarts.

I loved the idea of a lasagna-inspired tart and I was immediately smitten with the notion of a basil and garlic crust. So, I put on my mad scientist hat and went to work on what ultimately became this eggplant lasagna tart nestled into a Parmesan, basil and garlic crust. It is every bit as good as it sounds. Perhaps even more so.

As you can see, this is a very rustic dish – hearty and full of flavor with cheeses and sauce oozing out with every cut of the fork. You should think of this tart as a blank canvas on which to paint with your favorite flavors. Toss your favorite herbs into the crust. Use a different cheese. Pile on your favorite vegetables. Not into eggplant? Try zucchini, yellow squash, or mushrooms. Use your mama’s sauce recipe that dates back to the old country. Make this tart your own, and play around with different variations. They are truly endless, and I look forward to making this again and again.

What would your picture-perfect lasagna tart include?

I am entering this tart into Bake at 350’s Flavor of the Month event for July: PIE! The lovely Bridget said that tarts were allowed too! Head on over to check out the event, lust after all of the pies, and find out next month’s theme.

Ingredients:

½ eggplant, sliced in half lengthwise and sliced as thinly as possible into half moons

1 teaspoon salt

1½ cups ricotta cheese

Fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced

For the Tomato Sauce:

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 T. olive oil

½ teaspoon red pepper flakes

Pinch of salt

14-oz. can crushed tomatoes

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.

2. Prep the eggplant. To avoid a soggy crust, the moisture needs to be drawn out of the eggplant before baking. Toss the sliced eggplant with 1 teaspoon of salt. Transfer to a colander and let drain while you make the tart crust and tomato sauce.

3. To make the tart shell, place the basil and garlic in a food process and process, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed, until finely chopped. Add the Parmesan cheese and pulse to combine. Add the flour, salt and butter and pulse quickly about 25 times. Blend in the 2 T. of ice water in a few additional pulses. The dough should stick together when you pinch it between two fingers. Pour the dough into the tart pan. Working quickly, press the dough uniformly into the pan by pressing across the bottom and working towards the sides and up to form a rim. Place in the refrigerator to chill for at least 15 minutes.

4. Take the tart out of the refrigerator and poke it a few times with a fork. Cover the tart with parchment paper and fill with pie weights. Place on a baking sheet and slide tart onto the middle rack of the oven. Bake for 15 minutes, pull the shell out of the oven, and remove the parchment paper and pie weights. Place the uncovered tart back into the oven, weight-free, for another 5-10 minutes or until lightly golden brown. Remove from oven and sprinkle with a little shredded Parmesan. Transfer to a rack to cool to room temperature.

5. In the meantime, prepare the tomato sauce. Stir the garlic, olive oil, red pepper flakes and salt together in a small, cold saucepan. Turn the heat to medium-high and cook until the garlic starts to sizzle just a bit. Stir in the crushed tomatoes, bring to a simmer, cook the sauce down a bit for 10 minutes or so, and then remove from heat.

6. If the eggplant still appears wet, press it into some paper towels to remove any remaining moisture.

7. To assemble the tart, use a spatula to spread half of the ricotta cheese across the base of the tart shell. Spoon about half of the sauce over the ricotta and arrange half of the eggplant in a single layer on top of the sauce. Spread the remainder of the ricotta over the eggplant, making sure that it reaches the edges of the tart. Arrange another layer of eggplant and finish with the remaining sauce. Top with slices of fresh mozzarella across the top.

8. Place the tart on a rimmed baking sheet and bake for 40 minutes. Remove and let sit for 10 minutes before serving. Slice wedges with a serrated knife.

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Comments

I’m definitely looking forward to making your semifreddo although it almost looks too pretty to eat! I’ve enjoyed checking out many of your mouthwatering recipes and look forward to sampling them in the future!

This looks fantastic! I guess you know by now that I’m not a baker but reading the directions for the crust it seems that I may be able to handle this. I have some fontina and ementhaler cheese i need to use up. Do you think I can make some sort of tart with that? email me if you can!

I never made a savory tart, so I took this recipe as a challenge. It was definitely delicious. I loved the texture of the crust. It was buttery and crispy compared to the inside contents. I loved that each component could hold it’s on. I like Parmesan but sometimes it can bear a slightly sharp taste. I would try to use less, maybe I can substitute a cup of flour for a cup of Parmesan? How were you able to get the tart out in one piece? Also, how did you apply the ricotta cheese in the second layer? I dolloped it in on and patted with my fingers so I wouldn’t smear the layers underneath. I will definitely add this recipe to my recipe binder : )

So happy to hear that you enjoyed this tart! To answer your questions:

– Yes, you could substitute a cup of flour for a cup of Parmesan

– My tart pan has a removable bottom, so to unmold it I put a big can (like 28oz can of tomatoes or something) on the counter, set the tart pan centered on top, and then let the sides slide off, if that makes sense.

– For each layer of the ricotta, I dropped smaller spoonfuls across tart (so I wouldn’t have to spread as much as far) and used an offset spatula to lightly spread the ricotta evenly across the tart.

Hi Michelle,
This is such a delicious and versatile recipe. I just made my own version of this using your crust and my own spinach filling with bechamel and pesto sauces. It came out so tasty! Feel free to check out my post on my blog! Thanks again for a great recipe 🙂

Thank you for your quick reply! I was in Bed, Bath, & Beyond this morning and just happened to pass right by the tart pans. Can you tell me what size you used for this recipe? I might just go and buy one, it wouldn’t be the first time I came across a recipe that called for it so…might as well!

Thanks, enjoy your weekend! I know I will – I am making your Lemon-Limoncello cupcakes tomorrow!

These are my absolute favorite tarts! I am not really big into sweets… I know… but every afternoon while everyone sat down to something sweet, I had this yummy, savory mini-tart! TO DIE FOR! There is nothing better than mozarella, eggplant, and sauce…. Thank goodness I came back to America or I would be three-feet wide!

This looks amazing, and looks like a great vegetarian dish to serve for a dinner party. Can you please tell me if you peel your eggplant? Also, how thick should the slices be? Can I bake the crust, as in step #4 assemble and refrigerate over night and then pop in the the oven 40min before i’m ready to serve the next day?